Dane DeHaan and Rooney Mara to Star in Period Musical 'Ziggy'

Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter Alex Da Kid is spearheading the film's original contemporary music

Dane DeHaan and Rooney Mara are tuning up to star in the period musical Ziggy from Baz Luhrmann protege Diesel Schwarze. Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter Alex Da Kid is spearheading the film's original contemporary music.

Ziggy, which is being produced by Lynette Howell and Jamie Patricof's Electric City Entertainment (The Place Beyond the Pines), will mark the feature directorial debut of the Australian writer-director.

Da Kid — who has collaborated with Eminem, Dr. Dre, Rihanna, Imagine Dragons, Nicki Minaj, Skylar Grey and X Ambassadors — is currently developing the music for the film with Schwarze, DeHaan and Mara.

Ziggy chronicles the rise and fall of the titular character (DeHaan), a hunchback escape artist who arrives in New York during the mass-culture boom of the late 1920s and falls in love with the fiancee (Mara) of a powerful media mogul.

Diesel began his career under Luhrmann, working on Moulin Rouge! and La Boheme on Broadway. He then established himself in commercials, directing under the name Augustus Punch, with his production design partner Alexandra Bolton, who trained under Luhrmann's wife, four-time Academy Award-winner Catherine Martin.

"Ziggy is one of the most unique scripts I've ever read," says Howell. "Diesel has written an incredibly beautiful and ambitious story, and his background working under Baz Luhrmann combined with his prolific commercial work, lends itself to bringing this story to life in a visually inspired and exciting way. We are so fortunate to have Dane and Rooney onboard to develop the music with us and create something truly original, contemporary and special."

Da Kid produced Eminem's Love the Way You Lie, featuring Rihanna, which earned four Grammy nominations. He also garnered album of the year Grammy nominations for co-producing Rihanna's Loud and for producing Imagine Dragons' Radioactive, as well as a best rap song nomination with Eminem, Dr. Dre and Grey for I Need a Doctor. He currently has his own label, KIDinaKORNER, under Interscope Records.

CAA and WME will rep the film's domestic distribution rights.

Diesel is repped by CAA and attorney Robert Wallerstein. DeHaan is handled by CAA and The Schiff Co. Mara is represented by WME and Management 360.